In the computer world, the term "tool tip" has been used to describe a short textual label that appears over an icon or control area in a graphical user interface (GUI) to provide a brief indication of the program function associated with the icon or control area. Tool tips most commonly are associated with icons appearing in a "tool bar," i.e., a group of icons that each provide a unique graphical image representing a particular function of a computer program. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a tool tip 50 typically appears on a computer display 28 when a user of the computer places a cursor 52 over an icon 54 in a tool bar 56 for a predetermined period of time, known as the "tool tip trigger interval" (typically about one-half second). The tool tip 50 usually consists of a small text box containing a very short (e.g., 1-4 words) description of the program function associated with the icon. When the user selects the icon with a pointing device, such as a mouse, the corresponding function of the computer program is invoked. In some applications, such as Adobe Systems Incorporated's PageMill.TM. product, the tool tip disappears if, after some predetermined amount of time, known as the "tool tip timeout interval," the user has not selected the icon, moved the mouse, or taken some other prescribed action.
For many icons in the typical program, the brief description provided by the associated tool tip adequately explains, even to a novice user, the program function associated with the icon. However, for many users, the descriptions provided by many tool tips are too brief and too cryptic to provide much insight into the functions of the related icons. The present invention addresses this problem.